Death of The Media?

 It is somewhat fortunate to be old enough to remember life before television.In the late 40s and early 50s at best we had a radio. There were many newspapers where the readers chose the paper of their choice, from the Telegram on the right to the Post on the left. Each newspaper had its audience as we have today with say Pod Casts.

In addition one even had short wave radio, allowing reception of the BBC at one end and Radio Moscow at the other. At 9 years of age I listened to Radio Moscow almost every night. It was well produced and told news that one would not get even on the BBC. It never occurred to me as a 9 year old that it might be propaganda. 

But by the late 50s TV was becoming common, we now had one. Network TV, The Media as we would come to know it, was just at night. Cronkite for News and then 3 hours of some form of programming. This was the Media, a common set of views, controlled by certain groups. By the 60s Cronkite was an alter ego to Washington. It happened ever so quickly. By the 90s the news papers disappeared, the Post became right wing, but the NY Times remained ever so to the left.

Then comes the Internet and Social Media. Social Media is as I noted in the late 2000s, a true psychological weapon. It finds out the psychological profile of a user and then provided the targeted propaganda. A great weapon for the Government. But it seems that it is slowly collapsing. Its collapse is by segmenting, separate echo chambers, with self selection. Most users are clueless to the propaganda they are receiving. They have been psychologically profiled, self selected, and then driven by the never ending propaganda. 

Unfortunately universities no longer serve the purpose of education. As more students, many truly unqualified to be educated, get to universities, they are dipped into the endless propaganda. University faculty and administration are selected to enhance this propaganda process. Education qua learning has been destroyed. My classic example is MIT and the DEI police in each department. Why theoretic physics or pure math need such is beyond me. 

Thus perhaps the destruction of The Media as we know it may be highly beneficial. Yet the lasting destruction of minds by universities must also be addressed.

The DOGE

 Historically the DOGE was the highest authority in Venice. I recall walking about in the DOGE's residence, well done in the finest of things. So strange that this new Government office is DOGE. I would guess that anyone with a modicum of knowledge would have made the connection.

But, let's take one entity. The FCC. The primary function of the FCC has been running spectrum auctions and pouring Billions into the Government Coffers. Now that takes little effort.

The manage spectrum, making sure people who are unauthorized do not abuse it. I am a licensed Radio operator. But the exams were outsources and all the FCC does is keep the record. Then the FCC has Administrative Law Courts. Unlike real courts they are made up of political appointees and decide whatever.

The FCC managed monopolies such as ATT. Now we have oligopolies, not monopolies and they seem unregulated.

So what does the FCC really do with all those people. Perhaps the DOGE may have its first target!

FDA and Drugs

 The FDA has a mandate to approve new drugs. Now this is a difficult process, especially as newer therapeutics are developed. Fundamentally there are three steps:

1. Does the new therapeutic cause no harms?

2. Is the new therapeutic effective. Namely does it do what it is supposed to.

3. Is the new therapeutic better than what is already available. Namely efficacy.

This may sound simple but to perform these tasks one needs a large enough statistical sample to show it is true or not. Now step 1 can be easy, relatively. But safe to whom? The normal healthy person or the ones with the disorder? Step 2 requires a large enough group of those with the disorder willing to be tested over some period of time. That can be difficult if the disease is rare. Step three is an A to B comparison. That means we have to test this perhaps for two or three years.

Now adding all these up leads to a five to ten year lag in approval. The FDA has found ways to expedite but no matter what there are always people who are harmed, often a small percent, bu always there. Then again with many of the new cancer immunotherapeutics we see 60% to 80% who are non responsive. Why? Not fully understood. Yet we utilize the therapeutics any way.

The challenge to an incoming FDA/HHS is to understand that we are in a major tectonic change in therapeutic introductions and approval. In a sense the mRNA vaccines are a now classic example. Unlike the classic smallpox vaccine, the Salk polio vaccine etc the mRNA vaccines are good at best for 6 months. The older ones are for a lifetime. Why? One would have thought that the NIH folks would have spent some time on that issue but no! Blame the head of the sub-agency I guess.

The incoming team, whoever is approved, must be open to face the challenges. As we learn more we recognize that the "unknown unknowns" start to dominate. There must be a willingness to move forward while still accepting we are dealing with a complex environment, the human body.

Multimedia Communications

 A few years back a edited a 1989 set of note from the first course on multimedia communications I taught at MIT. I think some of the students grasped some of the ideas. I also thought it may be worth posting my Preface from the update:

This is an edited version of the 1989 class notes on Multimedia Communications which I taught at MIT. I have tried to keep all the original material and eliminated some material which is so out of date that it has little use. However, in view of the slow growth of multimedia communications over this some thirty plus years, I felt an edited and useful version may be of interest. This is NOT a view from the current time but an edit of what was known in 1989. It is worth looking at this and comparing what has been accomplished and what is left undone. The basic and fundamental issues and ideas have not changed. The technology has advanced but the integration of that technology into a true and working multimedia communication environment has not. The current virus pandemic has placed an emphasis on the need for true multimedia communications as presented in this old notes. Two areas are of most import are education and medicine. Students are left with useless laptops trying to participate in classes using the limited abilities of a Zoom or some other primitive form of communications. In medicine we have telemedicine that uses the same limited technology and, in my opinion, does less than what I was doing at Harvard in 1986-1990. Instead, the current technology implementation has, in my opinion, wasted decades on such things as Apps while leaving the two areas just mentioned a wasteland. 

 There is a philosophy of multimedia communications, a philosophy as to what we are trying to do as humans in interacting with one another human or group of humans and even our environment. Multimedia communications is displaced human interactions. It tries to erase the sense of displacement; it tries to bridge the gap of technology qua technology. None of the systems currently available have even tried to understand this human interaction challenge. One cannot accomplish this with a screen on a smart phone. A laptop shining in one's eye glasses creates an ethereal image of unreality. Poor speakers and microphones present an almost comedic interaction, and of course the background is more like a reality home show than a true normal interaction. Finally, the technology itself gets in the way of interacting .In 1989 I tried to understand and remedy such issues with a philosophy of multimedia communications. Unfortunately, most technologists who design and deploy today's systems are devoid of any understanding of human interactions. Multimedia Communications must be "displaced human interactions". It is a simple concept but complex to execute. It must be a seamless and as Heidegger noted "ready at hand" and a simple "thing" that disappears when used, making the users act and communicate as if the distance was not there. This is a highly complex challenge. It requires understanding human interaction, human linguistics and the very nature of humanity at the highest level.

This current viral pandemic has demonstrated how poorly we have achieved this goal. Just the thought of using a smart phone to take university classes, or even primary school classes is an insane idea. This is the App world of Silicon Valley, a short term monetizable artifact that has set humanity back, and not allowed us to move forward. How can a Second-Grade teacher interact with her students? Clearly not with what we have now. How can a father read to his daughter, not as we have now? How can a Physician interact with a cancer patient unable to come to the clinic, not as we have now? Thus, the issuance of this slightly modified revision I believe has value and merit .I want to also provide a belated thanks to Professor Muriel Medard (MIT) who was my Teaching Assistant during this first course. She did a magnificent effort in assembling key references and sources and in managing the class structure. It is to her and my many other students to whom I dedicate this revision.  

Terrence P. McGarty Thornton, NH January 2021

Welcome to the Fourth World!

Well today's not on our crumbling country is the total power outage in Madison, NJ. This is a town owned and operated system. They had announced a local outage mid-day, but at 4 PM there was total outage! On the main street just prior to max traffic. This local entity is classic town managed and operated. Costly, inefficient, and in my opinion nearly incompetent. I have had experience with many such local power companies. They are remnants of early 20th century Socialism, namely literally power to the people. This closed all stores, medical practices etc. Clearly a potential cause for irreparable harm. Madison in my opinion and my experience has an aloof Government which seems to care less for citizens outside heir town.

Corporate Collapse of the Day

 I have used Fidelity for years. Under the new management they have become almost unbearable. Today their total system is down. I recall when I was first at Bell Labs and they introduced the first Electronic Switching System, ESS No 1. A system was in Beverly Hills. It had an EA 5, and Emergency Action 5, namely a crash and reboot at just before 1PM PST or 4 PM EST. Namely just before the Stock Market closed. Well you could image heads rolling. So what is the new head of Fidelity doing now that apparently her system has crashed? We are told it is a "snag". Just what in God's green earth is a "snag". You system has crashed! Customer's are losing money! 

Are you out of business, do I still have my money? Perhaps the Board should consider a realignment. 

UPDATE: This is what Fidelity states:

We are Sorry. There was a Technical Issue.

We are currently aware of an issue with some 3rd party browser plugins that are causing issues with access to the Fidelity website. Please try running your browser in incognito mode - or using an alternative browser as we work with the 3rd parties to resolve the issue.

If you continue to receive this page please contact customer support and provide them the reference number below.

Reference Error: 18.cb292117.1731636227.54aedbf9

Customer Service FAQs: Technical Support

Customer-Service Numbers

Now read this. It says the customer must fix the problem. I tried several browsers. I cannot find an "incognito" mode, nor should I. This is in my opinion a clear indication that the customer comes last, especially when you blame them and tell them to fix it themselves!

The Perils of Nationalized Medicine

 The New England Journal published an interesting piece on England's NHS. The following charts tell a story.

Note especially graph B. The treatment of Cancers withing 62 days after referral. It is now almost just 50% Now some malignancies can take this 62 day delay such as most prostate cancers. However a melanoma delay would be terminal. As would a sebaceous cell carcinoma and many others. 

The other charts also tell a story of pathetic treatment. In my experience, from the time of suspicion to the time of diagnosis and treatment by a specialist has often been less than 48 hours! Of course this is NY/NJ and I clearly have contacts and knowledge, but also I can work the system. Others can do so also. But in the NHS it just fails!

So Washington beware. nationalized health care is a scam, and a deadly one at that!

Antnee and P'Nut

I was cleaning up the leaves from the trees at the end of Fall last week, and sat down for a brief rest. When my fried Antnee came jumping up to my feet with a bit of a disgruntled face. He commenced his interrogation thusly:

 “Sir, may I ask you a question, Sir?” as if I were ever to try to say otherwise he continued:

 “Sir, I have been reading about the murderers in New York, Sir, the dastardly cowards who slaughtered a poor cousin, Sir, a true horrific act. What, Sir, do you think of this?”

 Before I could even open my mouth, he continued:

 “Rabies, Sir, how idiotic! We squirrels do not carry rabies. Why Sir, I have been vaccinated, like you and that COVID thing Sir, but we are careful! Do these New York butchers have no understanding!”

 I knew I should not even try to answer. His rant continued:

 “Why Sir, you are a well know expert on viruses, indeed, and you yourself Sir know that we squirrels are not carriers of rabies, but it is those dastardly bats. Yes sir, bats. The sleep when we are awake Sir, and we sleep when they are awake! How, Sir, I beg of you, could we ever get infected! Idiotic!”

 He was on a rant indeed. But he had several good points. So I kept silent.

 “Well Sir, then these butchers from Albany, attacked poor P’Nut and he bit them. Do they not know Sir, wear gloves, like you Sir, but NO, these fools just tried to squeeze the life of a cousin! Fools Sir, indeed fools!”

 “Then these fools Sir, they fail to just blood test for viral antibodies! You know that sir, indeed you do. But in New York, the only solution is death and brain biopsy!”

 “Imagine Sir, these same butchers treating your kin folk! Diagnosis by death! Keeps health costs down Sir, keeps the costs down!”

 I could see Antnee was getting tired out. So I interjected:

 “Antnee, I agree my friend. This was a brutal and uncalled for act. But it was New York after all. A state known for acts of brutality. Just look at New York City, once a thriving metropolis, now a collapsing hell hole of crime and decay.”

 “Ah, you are so right Sir, so right. Why just the other day Sir I spoke with cousin Alex, he come over from Staten Island, you recall him Sir, a bit on the heavy side, I guess it is the pizza, well Sir he said that even there the State is starting to interfere. I guess Sir we are safe here for a bit, but we must beware! Beware indeed Sir, for this Government control can cost lives, indeed Sir, first we squirrels, then you humans, Sir! Beware!”

 Without another word he just scrambled off, finding an acorn and then commencing the often fruitless task of burying it. Yet I thought of this conversation, as usual Antnee always brought a deep perspective on current events!

Education:Then and Now

 In looking at current education I considered what my father did in High School. It was common amongst most students not in the trade schools. Four years of Meth; Elementary Algebra, Geometry, Intermediate Algebra, Trigonometry, Advance Algebra and then Solid Geometry. Four years of English, four of Latin, three of Spanish. Chemistry, Biology and Physics. American and World History. All having New York State Regents Exams to graduate.

These men then were sent to war. But their education allowed them to be sonar, radar, fire control, radio specialists with minimal additional training. In today's world it would require massive remedial training. We have allowed dumbing down to the extreme. Pity

I Really, Really, Really Hate Microsoft

 Yesterday was update Tuesday. As happens at least monthly if not more often, Microsoft downloads updates. Now it takes 2-3 hours to download them, then 2-3 hours ate least to install them, then 2-3 hours to reboot the system, after multiple failures. That adds up to 9 hours wasted waiting for Microsoft junk to get loaded. Make that for 1 billion users and we have up to 10 billion human hours wasted monthly or 12 billion per year! It destroys productivity. I was unable to join a Board meeting, files were messed up etc!

Does Microsoft care? No way. If we value out time at $100 per our, a low number, the cost is $1.2 trillion a year! It appears that Microsoft does not care.

Goodby, Mr. Brown

 

Goodby, Mr Brown. Tony Brown was our Senior Class English teacher. Chaucer, Middle English, poetry, and the like. He taught us as if we were college students, not Seniors in High School. Never happen in a Public School. He passed away at 90 a couple of weeks ago. I kept in touch over the past twenty years plus. 

Mr. Brown had the ability to quiz me each time we met. Iambic pentameter and the like, could I quote Shakespeare, did I read so and so. Lunch with Mr. Brown was more intense than my Doctoral orals. Yet I felt a duty to care for the sick, feed the hungry and bury the dead.

He loved Thomas Mann, and The Magic Mountain. He insisted I read it. I tried, but found it incomprehensible, after all it is about a mad house filled with Germans. I am fond of French and Russian literature, which he found incomprehensible. So much for tastes.

So Goodby, Mr Brown, you were no Mr Chips, but then again it was Staten Island.

On Leaders

 From Marsilius of Padua. The Defender of the Peace ( 1341 ) we have:

On bringing the leader to account, and for what  reason, how, and by whom he should be  constrained if he transgresses the law

 We said earlier that it belongs to the legislator to bring to account or  completely to change leaders, just as it does to institute them.

 On  this subject someone will quite rightly raise a doubt, viz. as to whether it  is expedient for leaders to be corrected through a judicial process and  coercive power; and if it is, whether this ought to take place for any kind  of excess, or only for some of them and not for others. Again, to whom it  belongs to pass such judgements upon them and to carry out the execution of these judgements by coercive power: since it was earlier said that it  belongs only to leaders to pass civil sentences and to constrain those who  transgress the law with coercive power.

 Let us for our part say that the leader, through his action according to the  law and through the authority that has been given him, is the standard  and the measure of any civil act whatsoever, in the manner of the heart in  an animal. And if the leader took on no other form than the law, his  authority, and the desire of acting in accordance with it, he would never commit any undue action or one that was subject to being corrected  or measured by anything else. In this way he himself as much as his action  would be the measure of every civil act on the part of others, while he  himself would never be measured by others: just like a well-formed heart  in an animal. For because the heart does not take on any form through  which it would be inclined to an action contrary to that which arises from  its natural virtue and heat, it always naturally performs its appropriate  action and never the contrary. Because of this it regulates and measures,  through its influence or action, the other parts of the animal in such a way  that it is not itself regulated by them in any way and receives no influence  from them either.   

 However, because the leader, being human, has an intellect and a desire  which can take on different forms – such as a false conception or a perverted  desire or both – it is possible for him, if he follows them, to do things  contrary to what is laid down by law. For this reason the leader is, in  these actions, rendered subject to measurement by something else that  has the authority to measure or regulate him (or those actions of his which  transgress the law) according to the law; for otherwise any leader  would become tyrannical, and the life of the citizens slavish and insufficient. And this is an evil to be avoided.  Now the judgement, command and execution of any arraignment of  the leader for his demerit or transgression should take place through the  legislator, or through a person or persons established for this purpose by  the authority of the legislator.

 It is also appropriate to suspend for a period of time the  office of the leader who is subject to correction, especially in relation to  the person or persons who must judge his transgression, so that faction,  commotion and fighting do not break out in the community because of  the resulting plurality of leaders; and also because he is not being  corrected as the leader, but as a subject who has transgressed the law.

 Basing on this principle, then, our approach to the doubts in question, let  us say that an excess on the part of the leader is either serious or slight;  again, it is either one of those things that can happen often, or that can  happen only rarely; still further, it is either something defined by law or  not. If the leader’s offence is serious – for example against the republic or  an important person or indeed any other person, where failure to bring  him to account would be likely to cause scandal or popular commotion –  then in this case the leader should be corrected for it, whether it is  something that happens often or only rarely. For if it remained unpunished, popular commotion and the disturbance and destruction of the  polity could be possible. If it is defined by law, then he should be  corrected according to the law; if it is not, then according to the sentence  of the legislator; and as much as possible ought to be defined by law,

 Now if an excess on the part of the leader is slight, then either it is one  of those things that happen only rarely, and is only rarely committed by  the leader, or it is one of those things that can occur often and is often  committed by the leader. If it is or is capable of being committed by  the leader only rarely, then one should turn a blind eye rather than have  the leader corrected for it. Because if the leader were corrected for any  minor excess that rarely happens, he would be rendered an object of  contempt; and this does no small damage to the community in that the  citizens as a result show less reverence and obedience to the law and to the  leader. And again because if the leader were unwilling to submit to  arraignment for every tiny offence, since this would diminish him in  repute, a serious scandal could arise. But nothing of this kind – which  cannot yield any evident utility, but only harm – should be aggravated in  communities.

 And this was Aristotle’s explicit opinion on the subject, Politics II  chapter 4, when he said: ‘It is manifest, that legislators and leaders must  be allowed a few misdeeds. For one who initiates a change does not do good so much as harm, becoming accustomed to rebel against leaders.’ 3  However, by ‘legislator’ he understood here the legislated law, which,  if men have become accustomed to obey it, he says should not be changed  in order to correct some minor thing in it, but should be allowed to stay as  it is; the reason being that frequent changing of the laws weakens their  strength, sc. the custom of obeying them and observing the commands  they contain. Hence the same author, in the same book and chapter: ‘The  law has no strength to persuade apart from custom, if it is to be  obeyed by the subjects, the most important thing is custom. It is the same  with reverence for and obedience to the leader.   

 However, if the excess on the part of the leader is slight but with the  possibility of happening often, then it should be defined in law, and a  leader who is frequently delinquent in respect of it should be constrained  by an appropriate penalty. For however slight, an offence of this type will  do significant damage to the polity if it is committed often, ‘just as substance’ (i.e. wealth) too ‘is eaten up by small expenditures made  often. For the whole, and everything, is not small, but is made up of  small things,’ as is written in Politics.